The Healing Power of Dance

When I met Tammy DePascal last summer at the Dance Teacher Summit, I knew we had to tell her story in the magazine. She offered her Force Friends class as a model for teaching dance to special-needs children. She herself has a daughter with special needs, so her perspective is unique. “Force Friends” details of the sensitive approach that is surprisingly popular with all the dancers at Creative Force Dance Center in Baltimore.

Likewise, the account of how Martha Eddy designed her Moving For Life class to help with a range of issues experienced by women with breast cancer is hugely inspiring (“Dancing to Heal”). Dr. Eddy is part of a growing trend: dance educators who use their knowledge of kinesiology and anatomy to work with people who might not otherwise set foot on a ballet barre.

March is our annual Health and Wellness issue. To lead off DT Notes, we report on All That Dance in Seattle, where for a full week every year, faculty and students devote their attention to body image and acceptance of self and others. Started in 2005, Love Your Body Week has become an annual tradition that influences the dancers year-round.

These stories are examples of the many ways dance educators make an impact far beyond the dance studio. Whether training artists, helping children develop life skills or easing the effects of mental and physical disease, dance teachers can and do change the world every day. It’s an honor to serve this inspiring population with Dance Teacher. If you don’t already, I hope you’ll connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+ and Pinterest and join the remarkable conversation.